Children of mothers who had the flu during pregnancy may be at a higher risk for developing bipolar disorder, a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests.
Researchers hope to use the results of the new study to find a definite connection between the virus and the mental health disorder to help determine the cause of the condition.
"These findings may have implications for prevention and identification of pathogenic mechanisms that lead to bipolar disorder," the researchers said.
The study, led by professor of clinical psychiatry Dr. Alan Brown from Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, was based on data collected from 900 American children.
And out of all of the subjects, researchers found 92 cases of bipolar disorder. Following further analysis, flu during pregnancy was associated with a four-fold increased risk of bipolar disorder development for children whose mothers had the virus during pregnancy.
Bipolar disorder "is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks," according to the National Institute of Mental Health, or NIMH.
"Bipolar disorder symptoms can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide."
But with proper treatment, it is possible for those affected by the disorder to live a normal life---according to NIMH.
This latest study that links the flu with bipolar disorder is not something that women should be worried about, at least according to Brown who told BBC that "the chances [of developing bipolar disorder] are still quite small," he said. "I don't think it should raise alarms for mothers."
But Brown does recommend that pregnant women receive the influenza vaccine to decrease their risk of being infected with the virus.
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